Tunisia Digital Code Review
Expert mission for the World Bank and Tunisia's Ministry of Communication Technologies to review and modernize the national digital regulatory framework.
Project Context
In the wake of Tunisia's democratic transition following the 2011 revolution, the country embarked on an ambitious digital transformation agenda. The Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy recognized that Tunisia's existing digital regulatory framework—developed in the early 2000s—required comprehensive modernization to support the nation's evolving digital economy.
The World Bank commissioned EXXING to conduct an expert review of Tunisia's digital code, focusing on three critical pillars: universal service management, digital infrastructure development, and infrastructure sharing mechanisms. The mission aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations aligned with international best practices from the ITU and European Commission.
Mission Objectives
- •Assess Tunisia's universal service framework: governance, budgets, included services, recent projects, and stakeholder concerns
- •Review digital infrastructure policies and recommend evolution paths based on international benchmarks
- •Analyze infrastructure sharing practices and propose regulatory improvements to accelerate deployment
- •Provide actionable policy options for Tunisia's digital transformation aligned with World Bank development goals
EXXING's Methodology
Comprehensive Regulatory Audit
Conducted a thorough state-of-affairs analysis of Tunisia's digital regulatory landscape, including:
- Review of all existing legal texts governing universality services, budgets, and service inclusions
- Assessment of recent universal service projects and their outcomes
- Stakeholder interviews to identify grievances and implementation challenges
International Benchmarking
Analyzed digital infrastructure practices across multiple jurisdictions to identify best practices:
- ITU (International Telecommunication Union) recommendations and guidelines
- European Commission digital infrastructure policies and directives
- Comparative analysis of successful digital transformation models in similar markets
Policy Recommendations & Options
Developed a comprehensive set of evolution orientations and policy options tailored to Tunisia's specific context, economic constraints, and development priorities. Recommendations addressed universal service financing, infrastructure sharing mandates, spectrum management, and digital inclusion targets—all aligned with World Bank development frameworks.
Stakeholder Engagement
Facilitated consultations with key stakeholders including the Ministry, regulatory authority (INTT), telecom operators, civil society organizations, and development partners to ensure recommendations reflected diverse perspectives and were politically feasible.
Deliverables & Impact
Comprehensive Regulatory Assessment
Delivered a detailed analysis of Tunisia's existing digital code, identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and areas requiring modernization.
International Best Practices Report
Provided evidence-based benchmarking against ITU and European Commission standards, with actionable insights for Tunisia.
Policy Evolution Roadmap
Presented a prioritized set of policy options and evolution orientations to guide Tunisia's digital transformation over the medium term.
Stakeholder Consensus
Achieved broad stakeholder alignment on priority reforms, facilitating subsequent legislative and regulatory action.
Mission Scope
Official Attestation
"I certify that Mr. Eric Pradel conducted an expert mission for the World Bank on the review of the digital code in Tunisia. He intervened to recommend evolutions in the management of universal services, digital infrastructure, and infrastructure sharing. The mission commenced in December 2017 and continued through May 2018."
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